Safety campaigners are asking Newcastle City Council to install automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras on Tankerville Terrace to help reduce the problem of traffic congestion around West Jesmond Primary School.

For more than a decade, concerned residents have been calling for this part of Jesmond to be designated a “school street” – a stretch that is closed to through motor traffic, with exceptions only for accessibility reasons. However, previous plans have been shelved, despite money being put aside by the council to make roads safer in Jesmond.

The council already makes use of ANPR in places like Exhibition Park, but under new “moving traffic offences” legislation it can now apply for powers to enforce school streets using ANPR cameras.

Ed Smith from campaign group Space for Jesmond says ANPRs would be the most convenient method for monitoring a school street. “Now ANPRs have been legalised, it would make sense to use that when monitoring school streets – submit the number plates that are exempt and have an automatic monitoring system,” he told JesmondLocal.

“Alternatively, you could use signs or marshalls on the street, but obviously that would be volunteer-run so difficult to maintain.”

Space for Jesmond, which has been run by residents for the last seven years, campaigns for safe pedestrian and cycling environments across the streets of Jesmond. Its achievements so far have included the closure of Haldane Terrace railway bridge to through traffic, and installing an air quality monitor outside West Jesmond Primary School.

“We’ve campaigned a lot to have a school street outside West Jesmond Primary, but as soon as you take your eye off the ball, it kind of returns to its normal state,” Smith said.

“The air quality monitor outside the school helps to show why we need a school street, as it demonstrates the levels of pollution.”

Pollution comes from the congestion of cars on the street, and the air quality monitor readings show a spike in pollution around drop-off and pick-up times.

Matt Ward, headteacher at West Jesmond Primary School, acknowledges the calls for a school street. “There isn’t a lot we are able to say on this at the moment, but hopefully, in the new year we will have information to share,” he told JesmondLocal.

It could mean a school street being introduced to West Jesmond in 2023. However, the council declined to provide a comment.

When residents in the NE2 Community Group were asked their thoughts, there was mixed opinion.

“A school street scheme would be great, but I’m not sure whether it would work on Tankerville Terrace alone or whether it needs to be used across several streets,” said Sally Fitzpatrick.

However, Matt Armstrong had a contrasting view. “There are no issues there and will just make parking even harder, so a stupid idea really.”

Smith says he believes a school street would cause people to change their ways when it comes to getting to school. “When we are talking about carbon emissions, we really need to be talking about commuting, because transport makes up a massive amount of the UK’s emissions,” he said. “We need to try and tackle that – and a school street is one of the key ways we can tackle it.

“It’s not as simple as saying, just switch to walking and cycling, because not everyone feels it is safe. But the less cars on the road, the safer it will be.

“Making that change really involves implementing policies that will enable people to travel sustainably and change their routine. The argument always seems to come back to people’s inconvenience, and of course, we need solutions for people who are travelling in from further afield. But I just don’t feel that these solutions involve having to compromise safety outside of schools.”